Obama says his administration in control in Gulf, doing everything needed to protect region

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Obama says doing everything to protect Gulf

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says the government is in charge of the response to the Gulf oil spill, not the oil company BP.

Obama says all steps BP takes to end the huge spill must be approved in advance by the government. Obama says his administration will do whatever is needed to protect and restore the Gulf Coast from this “unprecedented disaster.”

At a White House news conference Thursday, Obama also said the spill was causing “tremendous catastrophe” for the Gulf Coast and urged Americans to visit the region’s beaches.